Dog Gas: What Causes Doggy Flatulence …
and What Can You do About It?
by www.SixWise.com
Does your dog have problems with flatulence that can easily clear a room? It’s nothing personal … just a normal process that occurs when bacteria in your dog’s digestive tract breaks down his food.
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It happens when you least expect it … doggy gas! Keep reading to find the three major causes of dog gas, along with solutions to make your dog’s gas a thing of the past.
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However, while some gas is normal, excessive flatulence can be a sign that something is amiss in your dog’s diet.
What’s Causing Your Dog’s Gas?
As in humans, flatulence in dogs is often related to the foods they eat.
It occurs when a food does not get completely broken down in the stomach and small intestine. The food then reaches the large intestine in this undigested state, and bacteria there get to work, essentially breaking the morsel down further.
This process actually ferments the material, which produces a mixture of gasses: carbon dioxide, methane, hydrogen, and sometimes hydrogen sulfide (the tell-tale odor we think of when we think of gas). If you’ve ever been in the room when your furry best friend has passed wind, you know exactly the odor we’re referring to.
Flatulence can also occur in dogs that eat their food too fast, and simply swallow too much air in the process. However, dietary causes are the main source of flatulence in dogs, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).
“All dogs are prone to flatulence, especially if they’re fed a low-quality food with fillers and artificial preservatives, random table scraps, too many snacks or foods they’re allergic to,” ASPCA states.
Low-Quality Foods Lead to a Smelly Problem
If your dog is gassy or has soft stools, there’s a good chance his diet may not be agreeing with him, and there are probably several reasons why:
1. Too Much Grain
Corn, wheat, potatoes and other grains and starchy vegetables make up a large portion of most commercial dog foods. Even corn gluten meal, which is essentially a high-protein extract that has most of the carbohydrates removed, is used to boost protein percentages in foods without having to use an actual animal ingredient. These starchy ingredients act as fillers, adding bulk without offering your dog the nutrients it needs for optimal health.
One of the biggest problems with most commercial dog foods is that they are made up, largely, of grain fillers when what your dog will thrive on is meat (and, typically, raw meat).
Dogs have a hard time digesting grains, which is why eating grain-based foods will often cause gas, digestive upset, and potentially serious health problems down the line.
This is why choosing a high-quality food is so important for your dog’s long-term health, and SixWise.com highly recommends viewing the select line of dog foods carried by GreenerWiener.com.
For instance, the Honest Kitchen line from GreenerWiener.com makes all of their pet food recipes in a human-food plant to ensure the highest possible quality control and production standards. Their facility is FDA inspected -- and humans actually taste their foods as part of their Quality Control process!
Trying one of these grain-free options will likely make your dog’s gas a thing of the past:
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A Gas-Free Dog in 3 Squirts a Day
Your dog doesn’t like being gassy any more than you do … give her some relief by feeding her a high-quality diet, including appropriate digestive enzymes, and maintaining her digestive health with HappyTails Dog Smog from GreenerWiener.com.
This all-natural remedy freshens breath and fights gas with soothing herbal ingredients like:
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2. Lack of Enzymes
Your dog depends on enzymes to help digest his food. However, while your dog does produce some enzymes naturally, he does not produce a lot of a specific type called amylase, which are used to help break down carbohydrates.
Why? Because, again, your dog is not intended to eat a lot of carbs.
Compounding the problem is that your pet depends on its food to get some supplemental enzymes, such as would occur in the wild when wolves or coyotes eat their prey’s entrails (along with its digestive enzymes).
Unfortunately, commercial dog foods like kibble and canned do not contain enzymes because they have all been killed during the cooking process.
This is why, if you feed your dog kibble or canned food, and even if you feed raw, adding a digestive enzyme to your dog’s food will greatly help his digestive process.
Aunt Jeni’s Enhance Digestive Aid for Dogs from GreenerWiener.com is specially formulated to include a “four-in-one” beneficial combination of enzymes, probiotics, prebiotics and herbs.
It is very helpful in restoring and maintaining proper levels of friendly bacteria in your pet’s gut, reducing digestive upset, gas and bloating, and easing dietary transition. (And it comes in a cat-appropriate variety, too!)
3. Food Allergies
Many dogs have sensitivities or allergies to certain foods that also cause digestive upset and gas. Grains such as wheat are among the most common culprits, but protein sources such as chicken can also cause problems. Some dogs are also lactose intolerant.
The solution in this case is to identify which ingredients are causing your dog digestive upset, and then eliminating them from his diet.
If you think your dog is suffering from food allergies, SixWise.com recommends giving Thrive Gluten-Free Dog Food from GreenerWiener.com a try. Thrive is a very minimalist, nutritious diet that is recommended for dogs with sensitivities because it contains NO fruits, potatoes, gluten or flax.
What Else Can Help Get Rid of Doggy Gas?
If you’ve tried the dietary changes above to no avail, it could be that your dog is eating too fast. Try dividing the portion in half and feeding smaller meals at a time to limit the amount of air your dog can gulp down.
You can also try HappyTails Dog Smog from GreenerWiener.com. This all-natural formula contains peppermint and fennel to freshen doggy breath, along with the digestive enzymes papain and bromelain to get rid of gas. A few squirts morning and night, or into your dog’s water bowl for long-term “maintenance,” will help alleviate gas, abdominal pain … and polluted air in your home!
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Want to Give Your Pet the Longest, Healthiest, Happiest Life Possible?
 Choose healthy, natural grooming tools, pet food and treats from GreenerWiener.com! Your dog or cat will thank you!
At Greener Wiener their mission is simple: to provide natural pet products that promote wellness for dogs and cats.
Greener Wiener believes your pets deserve healthy food and treats, and toys made from non-toxic materials. They believe the Earth deserves a break too, which is why they actively seek out products made from safe, environmentally friendly materials.
Visit GreenerWiener.com now to view their unique line of all-natural pet products to enhance the health and well-being of your furry little ones.
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Recommended Reading
Dental Care for Pets: Do You Need to Brush Your Dog’s Teeth, Too?
Pet Obesity is Now the Leading Cause of Preventable Death in Dogs and Cats
How to Keep Your Dog’s Ears Clean and Healthy
Sources
ASPCA.org